LCPD Issues Statement to Firearm Owners in the Community

We have to be responsible gun owners in the Lake Area for the sake of not only ourselves and those around us, but also for the sake of keeping them out of the hands of would-be criminals lurking the streets of our city.

According to an LCPD media release, "Please do not leave your firearms unattended in your vehicles. Between January 1st, 2018 and February 16th, 2018, there have been a total of 27 vehicle burglaries in which a firearm was stolen. Those 27 firearms are now on our streets and in our community".

LCPD warns that once those firearms are stolen they're then sold "from person to person" which will be used at some point to commit violent crimes against residents. Police also have to be aware of the possibility they'll come into contact with "violent offenders" who may be armed with one of these stolen guns.

Having the doors of your vehicle locked or unlocked won't stop them from entering either. LCPD specifies that burglars are targetting vehicles "specifically looking for firearms to steal."

"We at the Lake Charles Police Department urge each and every firearm owner to be responsible with their firearm and not leave it in their vehicles unattended. We also encourage every citizen to log the serial numbers to their firearms so in the event that the firearm is ever stolen, the chances of recovering that firearm and returning it the owner is greatly increased", says LCPD Lieutenant Richard Harrell.